Vijftigjarig regeringsjubileum van Koningin Wilhelmina 1948 1948

Curator: This bronze relief commemorates the 50th Jubilee of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands in 1948, crafted by Gra Rueb. It depicts the Queen regally on horseback. Editor: It strikes me as rather somber, given the occasion. The color of the bronze and the style remind me of medieval portraiture... weighty, perhaps? Curator: Yes, there's definitely a connection there. Post-war, it presents Wilhelmina as a figure of resilience, drawing on historical notions of monarchy and Dutch identity amid the socio-political landscape after occupation. Her position on horseback recalls centuries of royal equestrian portraiture. Editor: Interesting to see how bronze was employed. It must have been cast from a mold to create the relief, a fascinating material choice connecting to both tradition and wartime constraints. I wonder what was available at the time to create work of this scale, albeit it being relatively small. Curator: It is interesting to consider the role of material and labor after the war. Consider that her persona became intrinsically tied to ideas of national fortitude at a critical juncture in Dutch history, when the memory of the Dutch East Indies, and the start of decolonization, were becoming prominent political talking points. Editor: How does the work play into the larger picture of decolonization efforts from this period? It is a celebration of Dutch resilience, yes, but who is left out of the narrative? Curator: Precisely. It brings up important questions about national identity, who is being represented, and who is not. We have to question those issues of representation. This object reveals as much as it conceals. Editor: An excellent point. Reflecting on the craftsmanship itself, I can better appreciate how material and method coalesce to form a complicated symbol of monarchy and memory. Curator: I see a tension between what we might consider as a symbol of strength, versus an acknowledgement of shifts in political identity, that ultimately invites critical contemplation.